A device of this type is known from DE 10 2007 030 915 A1. An elongate electrode having a cylindrical cross section and a rounded end face is surrounded here by a correspondingly formed dielectric. A surface, for example an area of skin, can be treated by the outer surface of the dielectric. A uniform treatment of a larger surface is not provided by an apparatus of this type.
In DE 10 2009 060 627, a planar electrode arrangement is provided for the treatment of larger areas of skin, in which arrangement a planar electrode is screened by a planar dielectric with respect to a surface to be treated, in particular an area of skin. For adaptation to irregular surfaces, both the electrode and the dielectric are flexible. A planar electrode of this type can be placed onto the surface to be treated, wherein the dielectric is structured so as to leave an air gap between the skin and the dielectric, in which gap the plasma discharge can take place when the surface to be treated is used as counter electrode. The disadvantage of this arrangement is the large area occupied by the electrode arrangement, which preferably can be used on a stationary unit and in addition only enables the treatment of highly curved surfaces to a limited extent.